"...The vehicle is still there, and the beacon remains active. Commander Wei is safe." Cousin Mu finally delivered this definitive conclusion during a secret meeting of the high-ranking legion officers.
A long, collective sigh of relief filled the room. Everyone had suspected Wei Huan was still alive—after all, their residence was tied to his vehicle, and the Challenge World never left a vehicle behind for a corpse. However, since the Commander's life was inextricably linked to the fate of humanity, the veteran crew members couldn't truly relax until the final confirmation was in.
The next focus was immediate: where was he? And how could they rescue him?
Knowing the officers were waiting for a report, Cousin Mu continued: "For the past ten months, I have been overseeing the observation of the World Tree, specifically its growth beyond world restrictions into the mists. We can now confirm that the World Tree has the capability to break world barriers. Commander Wei and Major General Mu left this world through it. Dou Lin went with them. Based on the descriptions from the five crew members who were present and the elemental residues at the scene, the energy signature matches the 'Space Bug'—a sequence seven ability of the Gambler path. It was a spatial tunnel."
The Gambler team leader, who had recently promoted to [Sequence 6: Flicker], spoke up. "Exactly. At Sequence 6, I gained the ability to traverse dimensions. I've deduced that the name of Sequence 7, 'Space Bug,' implies we can burrow through the fabric of space. The power that took the Commander was definitely a spatial ability similar to that."
Cousin Mu added, "Think of the World Gates as official highways—they allow us to enter the next world smoothly. But a 'Space Bug' is like an illegal crossing, or a needle popping a balloon. Because it's not a standard route, there's a massive release of pressure, and so..."
"Minister Mu, just give me the result," Xu Qingqiang interrupted, tired of the lecture. "Can we use the same method to reach the Commander?" He stared at Cousin Mu with a look that said he'd leave the second he got a 'yes.'
Cousin Mu hesitated, then said flatly, "Yes."
"Then—" Xu Qingqiang started to stand.
"But 'you' can't go!" Cousin Mu shouted him down. "There are others for the rescue. The pioneering of the Grade 6 world cannot stop. With the Commander and General Mu gone, you must hold the line against the upcoming monster siege. I will arrange a specific team for the search."
Xu Qingqiang stared at him for a long moment, lit a cigarette to suppress his temper, and asked through a cloud of smoke, "How? And who?"
"That's the point," Cousin Mu said. "The Gambler sequence has already touched upon space; they will be much safer using the World Tree's channel. Additionally, I recommend a second sequence for this mission—one that is perhaps even more suited for this task, as the World Gates themselves likely originated from them."
"Oh?" Xu Qingqiang's eyes narrowed. "Don't play games. Speak up. What if they're in danger right now?"
Cousin Mu suppressed his own irritation. "It's the Pilot sequence. Sequence 8 of the Pilot is the Plane Traveler. The Challenge World has been signaling this to us from the start. Once we reach a certain level, traveling between planes becomes common. We used to think this meant traveling to the Dark Beast plane or different Challenge Worlds, but it seems there is more beyond that. This rescue mission will be led by the Gamblers and Pilots. I propose Brother Hammer lead the team. With his talent, he can avoid a lot of trouble."
Everyone looked toward the man sitting in the crowd who had zero presence. Some felt a slight concern. Brother Hammer's talent was invincible, but it had a drawback: if his talent was active, the team might literally forget they had a leader, leading to confusion.
Hammer spoke up, a rarity: "Minister Mu asked me to confirm, and I agreed. Since reaching Sequence 7, Martial Empress, my aura can entwine a squad of three to five hundred people. They will be influenced by my ability to lower presence. No matter what is on the other side, I am confident I can find the Commander and bring everyone back."
"Damn," Xu Qingqiang cursed. "Next time we're at war, hook me up with that."
The tension in the room snapped, and many couldn't help but smile. With the mood lightened, Cousin Mu continued his briefing.
"The reason we are using space-based sequences is that the trip requires enduring pressure and 'carving' a return tunnel. We'll use a small team of no more than a hundred. We will also attempt to send vehicles through. The vehicle is our mobile spatial storage; without it, we risk a resource crisis."
General Mu Dehao added, "If I recall, the report mentioned Dou Lin went through and left behind 'Star Power' at the tunnel entrance?"
Cousin Mu nodded. "Yes."
"The Diviner sequence is deeper than you think," Mu Dehao told the room. "What Dou Lin left wasn't just Star Power—it was a Star Chain. Follow that chain through space, and you will find them. Follow it back, and you can return."
Xu Qingqiang pondered this. "That kid usually avoids the Boss like the plague. Why did he show up to deliver food that day? And leave a Star Chain at that exact moment? Did he know? Why didn't he stop it?"
Mu Dehao laughed. "Diviners aren't that simple. They don't just 'know' the future; they master Luck. It was luck that arranged for him to be there at that time. He brings luck to others and himself."
This was why the Mu family wasn't panicking. Dou Lin was the strongest Diviner—a Miracle Maker. Where he went, luck followed. He followed the threads of destiny to seek a fortunate fate.
"Then we should have more Diviners..." Xu Qingqiang suggested.
Mu Dehao raised a hand. "They are rare. There are fewer than ten Grade 5 Diviners on all of Blue Star. Sending a Grade 4 would be a death sentence; their bodies couldn't handle the spatial travel. Just follow the Star Chain. Dou Lin will bring you back. Trust him."
---
Dou Lin stared blankly at the sky. It was his sixth day in this world, but he had only woken up three days ago. Today was the first time he felt healthy enough to truly see the night.
It was breathtaking. He had never seen such a sky—the Milky Way was vivid, the cosmos vast. Bathed in starlight, he felt threads of light entering his body. His eyes felt like telescopes, piercing through the world into the deep universe. He saw nebulae and dying stars. He could see a string of stars—a chain—waving at him, calling him home.
Mu Zhong and Wei Huan had long since stopped their work to watch the silver-clad, sleeping boy. They didn't dare speak, knowing this was a rare "serendipity" for Dou Lin that shouldn't be disturbed.
"Is he cultivating?" Mu Zhong asked through the private 'Heart of Steel' channel.
Wei Huan looked at the stars and nodded. "Diviners master the power of stars and moons. This world is real. If my 'True Artifact' involves refining Nether Stones, his involves absorbing astral power."
"That sounds like becoming a god," Mu Zhong said wistfully. "You've both found your paths. Now it's just me."
"You'll find yours."
Wei Huan knew that being here was a reward, not a disaster. Just like the Dark Beast world, once they were strong enough, they could seize massive resources. With him there, Mu Zhong's True Artifact wouldn't be far off.
"We leave in a few days," Wei Huan said.
"Where to?"
"To find a powerful monster and raid its lair. All powerful beings in this world have a habit of hoarding treasures. Instead of random gathering, we'll do targeted strikes. By the time we've done a circuit, we'll have the materials for the spatial warehouse."
"Just like that?"
"Do we need to share a drink with them first?"
Mu Zhong covered his face. "Why do I feel like we're the villains?"
Wei Huan replied, "In the war of civilizations, there are no allies. This narrow bridge only has room for one race. Kindness to them is cruelty to my kin, my family, and my comrades."
Mu Zhong lowered his hands, his gaze hardening. "You're right. From the day the Challenge World arrived, humanity was destined to tread upon ten thousand races on a path of slaughter."
---
The next morning, Dou Lin's progress was obvious; his aura was much stronger. He would likely reach Sequence 6 soon. As a God-Blessed, Dou Lin had only reached this level as an adult in the previous life. In this life, he was only ten.
Wei Huan spent the night recovering and then returned to the bird-ghost. Half the bird remained; he wouldn't leave until it was gone. Even if its Nether Power was almost dry, he'd squeeze out the rest. He was also eyeing the pure soul energy left behind. This creature was stronger than Dark Beast royalty; if he could recruit it, he'd have a powerful new general.
He tried to use "Psychic Link" on it, but his soul tentacles were immediately repelled by a chaotic, frenzied consciousness. It was unlike any undead he had recruited—it was like a flame; you couldn't have it unless you put it out, but once extinguished, it was gone.
He refused to give up. Then, a spark of inspiration hit him. Next second, Sister Crow, looking like a black phoenix, spiraled above him. With a piercing cry, she turned into a streak of black flame and dove at the bird-ghost.
If he couldn't recruit it, he would feed it to her. If he left it here, it was wasted; if she ate it, the power stayed with them.
As he expected, Sister Crow's attack provoked the ghost's ferocity. But the days of being siphoned by Wei Huan had taken their toll. The bird-ghost was no match for her. Though smaller, she pinned it down, her claws digging into its neck as she tore a head away.
"SCREECH—"
The sound was so piercing it shook Mu Zhong and Dou Lin's ears despite it being a spiritual entity. Sister Crow circled back, swallowing the head in mid-air. She visibly grew larger. In response, the bound ghost looked pathetic with one head missing.
To Wei Huan's delight, as the head was digested, one of the red chains from the ritual disk vanished. A triple win.
Sister Crow let out a long, triumphant cry. "Yooo~~" The sound actually broke through the nether realm into the physical world. Under Wei Huan's command, she dove again.
At that moment, a cluster of black dots appeared in the sky, falling like fireballs from the sun and slamming into the ground. But there was no impact of stone and sand. As the smoke cleared, a group of people rushed out.
At the front was Brother Hammer in his Vanguard uniform. He looked at Wei Huan with joy. "Commander Wei! It's good to see you safe! I am leading the Special Rescue Squad, reporting for duty!!"
Wei Huan raised a hand, and Dot Mom's shield expanded to protect them. But he never took his eyes off the two birds fighting. He watched Sister Crow go from biting and tearing to full consumption, until she grew a second head, then a third, and her body expanded to several kilometers in size.
Wei Huan's eyes lit up. He had found the correct "opening mode" for this world.
"Yooo~~"
A cry reached the heavens and the underworld, striking the ears of everyone present like divine music. Even Hammer, a Sequence 6, turned pale and felt as if he might cough up blood.
Sister Crow spiraled upward, her wings blotting out the sun. As her long plumes brushed the air, Nether Power surged as if the Kingdom of Death had arrived. Grey snow began to fall from the sky, piling on the ground. Even inside the shield, the rescuers shivered from the bone-deep chill.
But Wei Huan, standing outside the shield, felt only comfort. It was like being back in the Nether Domain, surrounded by perfect energy. His undead army, touched by the grey snow, roared as their strength surged.
'Is this a Domain?'
Inside a Domain, laws were controlled by the master. Wei Huan watched the soaring, crying Sister Crow and knew: she had promoted to Pseudo-God Grade.
He hadn't expected his second Pseudo-God to be the Ghost Crow leader he usually used as a scout. By consuming the unknown bird-ghost, she had gained a Nether Domain. Inside it, Wei Huan and his army were vastly empowered, and their energy recovery increased a hundredfold. With this, he could probably hold his own even in an Eight-Grade world.
"Congratulations, Commander! Sister Crow's promoted power is incredible—she's like a Nether Phoenix, the pinnacle of the Underworld!" The Gambler leader, a smooth talker compared to Hammer, spoke up.
Mu Zhong hurried over, looking at the five vehicles the rescue team had brought. "How did you find us?"
"Dou Lin left a Star Chain," the Gambler replied.
Mu Zhong immediately deduced, "So we can go back the same way?"
"Yes."
Sister Crow continued to fly, and the valley grew colder. Knowing the chill was bad for the humans, Wei Huan signaled her. With a cry, the Nether Phoenix turned into black light and vanished into the dimensional space. Her domain could still influence the physical world from there, boosting the army without freezing his friends.
Wei Huan turned to the newcomers. The Gambler captain asked, "Major Mu, shall we take you and the Boss back now?"
Mu Zhong looked at the vehicles, then shook his head. "Sending a message back is enough. We aren't going yet. This world has immense 'serendipity.' Once we understand it, we'll need to bring in a larger force."
The Gambler captain looked at Wei Huan. Having seen a Ghost Crow transform into a three-headed, six-winged divine phoenix under the Boss's control, he knew the "serendipity" here was real.
"No problem, Boss. I'll arrange the message." The captain was beaming. What he thought was a rescue mission had turned into a resource hunt. He remembered the "shopping spree" in the Dark Beast world a year ago and almost laughed out loud.
He didn't know yet that the rewards here were far more precious. Here, they would find the "True Self" and "True Artifacts"—the first step toward breaking free from the Challenge World's control.